Where the Light Goes
Where the Light Goes is the fifth studio album by American rock band Matchbox Twenty, released on May 26, 2023, by Atlantic Records.[3] On March 17, 2023, the band released the first single from the album, "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)". It is the band's first album in over a decade since North in 2012.[4] This is also the first album of new material by the band not to be produced by longtime producer Matt Serletic.
Where the Light Goes | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | May 26, 2023 | |||
Recorded | 2022 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 44:38 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Producer | ||||
Matchbox Twenty chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Where the Light Goes | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
The album was produced by Gregg Wattenberg, with production duties handled by Wattenberg and band members Paul Doucette and Kyle Cook.
Background
As they were about to embark on a 2020 tour, the members of Matchbox Twenty had come to the conclusion that they had no desire to make a new album and were now primarily a touring band that would occasionally release new songs. The tour was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though the band announced new dates for 2022, those were subsequently postponed as well. With the tour rescheduled once again to 2023, Kyle Cook suggested that the band record a new album after all in order to give their fans something new to make up for their long period of inactivity.[5]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Friends" | Paul Doucette |
| 4:46 |
2. | "Wild Dogs (Running in a Slow Dream)" |
|
| 3:30 |
3. | "Rebels" |
|
| 3:44 |
4. | "One Hit Love" |
| Wattenberg | 3:43 |
5. | "Warm Blood" | Doucette |
| 3:48 |
6. | "Queen of New York City" |
| Wattenberg | 3:32 |
7. | "Where the Light Goes" | Thomas | Wattenberg | 3:52 |
8. | "Hang on Every Word" | Doucette | Wattenberg | 4:08 |
9. | "Don't Get Me Wrong" | Wattenberg | 2:53 | |
10. | "I Know Better" | Kyle Cook | Wattenberg | 3:48 |
11. | "No Other Love" (featuring Amanda Shires) |
|
| 3:36 |
12. | "Selling Faith" | Thomas |
| 3:18 |
Total length: | 44:38 |
Personnel
Matchbox Twenty
- Rob Thomas – lead vocals (tracks 1–9, 11–12), backing vocals (1–3, 6, 9, 10)
- Brian Yale – bass guitar (all tracks)
- Paul Doucette – backing vocals (1–6, 8, 10, 11–12), drums (1–5, 7, 8, 10, 11), rhythm guitar (1–5, 7, 11–12), keyboards (1–3, 5, 7, 8, 11), programming (1, 2, 5, 11), piano (2, 8, 11–12), additional drums (6)
- Kyle Cook – lead guitar (all tracks), backing vocals (1–4, 6, 7, 9, 12), mandolin (1, 3, 7), keyboards (3, 10, 12), ukulele (3, 6, 8), banjo (3), piano (6, 7, 9, 12), lead vocals (10)
Additional musicians
- Gregg Wattenberg – background vocals (1–6, 8, 9, 11, 12), programming (1, 2, 5, 10, 11), keyboards (2–12), guitar (2–4), piano (8)
- Dallin Applebaum – background vocals (1), choir (4)
- Grace McClean – background vocals (1), choir (4)
- Katie Marshall – background vocals (1), choir (4)
- Mia Wattenberg – background vocals (1, 3, 8, 9), children's choir (1), choir (4), piano (6)
- Rebecca Gastfriend – background vocals (1), choir (4)
- Tiger Darrow – background vocals (1), choir (4)
- Asha Denhoy – children's choir (1)
- Aya Mitchell – children's choir (1)
- Joey Capella – children's choir (1)
- Maia Denhoy – children's choir (1)
- Jett Doucette-Zappa – guest vocals (1), background vocals (11)
- Andy Snitzer – horn arrangement, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone (1, 6, 10, 11)
- Michael Davis – bass trombone, tenor trombone (1, 6, 10, 11)
- Tony Kadleck – flugelhorn, trumpet (1, 6, 10, 11)
- Matt Beck – piano (1, 4, 6, 10, 11)
- Cillian Vallely – uilleann pipes (1)
- Tina Dawn – background vocals (2, ,7,9)
- John Metcalfe – conductor, string arrangement (4, 8)
- Richard Harwood – lead cello (4, 8)
- Chris Worsey – cello (4, 8)
- Ian Burdge – cello (4, 8)
- Sophie Harris – cello (4, 8)
- Vickie Matthews – cello (4, 8)
- Peter Lale – lead viola (4, 8)
- Helen Kammings – viola (4, 8)
- Ian Rathbone – viola (4, 8)
- Reiad Chibah – viola (4, 8)
- Everton Nelson – violin leader (4, 8)
- Alison Dods – second violin (4, 8)
- Charles Mutter – second violin (4, 8)
- Ian Humphries – second violin (4, 8)
- John Mills – second violin (4, 8)
- Louis Fuller – second violin (4, 8)
- Nicky Sweeney – second violin (4, 8)
- Richard George – second violin (4, 8)
- Rick Koster – second violin (4, 8)
- Steve Morris – second violin (4, 8)
- Tim Pigott-Smith – second violin (4, 8)
- Gunnar Olsen – drums (6, 9)
- Amanda Shires – backing vocals (11)
Technical
- Randy Merrill – mastering
- Manny Marroquin – mixing (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
- Serban Ghenea – mixing (2)
- Rob Kinelski – mixing (4, 5, 7, 10–12)
- Kevin Killen – engineering
- Ethan Feinberg – engineering (1, 11), engineering assistance (2–10, 12)
- Lewis Jones – orchestral engineering (4, 8)
- Anthony Vilchis – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
- Trey Station – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
- Zach Pereyra – mixing assistance (1, 3, 6, 8, 9)
- Bryce Bordone – mixing assistance (2)
- Eli Heisler – mixing assistance (4, 5, 7, 10–12)
- Cole Lumpkin – engineering assistance (1, 3–9, 11)
- Dan McDonald – engineering assistance (1, 6, 11)
- Matt Jones – engineering assistance (4, 8)
Charts
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[6] | 2 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[7] | 77 |
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[8] | 26 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[9] | 9 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] | 79 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC)[11] | 10 |
US Billboard 200[12] | 53 |
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[13] | 7 |
References
- "Matchbox Twenty Settle an Argument on New Song 'Don't Get Me Wrong'". Rolling Stone. May 5, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- Where the Light Goes at AllMusic. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- Young, Alex (March 17, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty Announces First New Album in 11 Years, Share Lead Single". Consequence. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- Zemler, Emily (March 17, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty Mark First New Music in Over a Decade With 'Wild Dogs (Running In A Slow Dream)'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
- Ruggieri, Melissa (May 26, 2023). "Matchbox Twenty on 'unfinished business,' how touring does 'vile things' to their bodies". USA Today. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Matchbox Twenty – Where the Light Goes" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 2, 2023.
- "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- "Swisscharts.com – Matchbox Twenty – Where the Light Goes". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
- "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2023.